1. Have a band agreement established before you record or release any material.  What I mean by that is that you have to decide if you are going to split the writers’ share of your publishing equally between all members of the band or if IP ownership and other such earnings will be divided in other ways.  In the big picture, it’s better to have this figured out sooner than later.

2. Write great songs.  Seems like an obvious statement but I’d be remis to not mention it straight away. Have a work ethic that consistently provides a product that your audience enjoys listening to and will purchase.  Be committed to the craft of creating innovative and honest art.  That means you got to put out more than 1 EP every 4 years while still being true to yourself.  I’m a firm believer that the overall success of any musician resides in their ability to write a substantial catalogue of memorable songs.

3. Expensive hobby or a career? Understanding that your band is a BUSINESS and that the recording industry is a BUSINESS – and treating it as such - will provide proper perspective as you develop and build your bands’ career.  Otherwise, you’re just investing in an expensive hobby. 

4. So you got talent but do you have tenacity?  Tenacity is what keeps artists in the game and growing.  I wish it were more of the former.  Be willing to play for very little pay for a long time.  It can take up to a decade to build a viable career that pays well.  That’s a serious financial and time investment for anyone.

5. Play out as much as possible, wherever you can get a gig.  Any stage is a stage worth building your business on.  I find it funny when bands think they are too good to play certain places when they can’t even get a guarantee in that city to begin with.  I once encountered a band touring through Wilmington, NC a few years ago that is actually fronted by a respected Hollywood actor.  I was putting on a show down there at the time that they wanted to be on the bill at the last minute.  I was so inspired by the band’s humility and willingness to play 2 shows that night for no money and shared backlines.  That kind of attitude is what gets you in the better venues.

Part 2, NEXT MONTH

For more information on Organic Entertainment, please contact Kim Venturo,

Talent Scout for Organic Entertainment at kventuro@gmail.com or through www.organicentertanment.net and say you heard of OE through International

Model and Musician magazine.  “It’s good for you.”

By Margo Drgos

Margo is the Owner/Operator, ORGANIC ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA, New York, NY.

Organic Entertainment is a boutique service firm committed to helping independent record labels and recording artists who operate as labels.  Services include radio promotion, college radio and commerce specialty radio promotion, booking, public relations, event planning, publicity, tour publicity, online marketing and promotion for rock music labels and artists. 

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